Lock cylinders, particularly those of the interchangeable core variety, have complex part tolerances and pinning to allow the cylinder to function properly. The complexities can also make the pinning process difficult and laborious. If pinning is off, the entire assembly must be reset and emptied, and the user must start over. Furthermore, many traditional interchangeable core assemblies suffer from a tendency to “explode” when the plug is removed from the shell. That is to say, the springs eject the internal components out of the assembly, thereby losing the pinning placement and running the risk of damaging, destroying, or losing one or more components. Therefore, a need remains for further improvements in lock cylinder assemblies.